How Terrorists Recruit Teens Through Websites, Social Media

A number of young Westerners are believed to have been duped and radicalized online, including Chicago-area teen Mohammed Hamza Khan and his 15-year-old brother and 17-year-old sister

By Tammy Leitner •Published February 5, 2015•Updated on February 6, 2015 at 11:52 am

Teens from Denver to Chicago have left their comfortable American lives in the hope of joining the ranks of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Their motivations vary. But there’s one common denominator: Most were recruited online.

"It can happen to anybody, to me, my friends, anybody," said Governors State University senior Amer Wazwaz.

"I hear about people going on these websites, mainly to learn about Islam and then they get sucked in," said Ata Alaraj.

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Amer Wazwaz and Ata Alaraj have more to worry about than just college life.

"I’ve seen one of my friends do it," said Wazwaz. "And I had a long hard talk with him and I told him you shouldn’t be watching this. It’s not good."

Wazwaz said he believes the website was meant to recruit teenagers.

"Sharia laws were on there," he said. "I saw jihad and all that. This is a recruiting site. I can just tell. It’s easy to tell. It’s common sense."

But not always.

A number of young Westerners are believed to have been duped and radicalized online, including Chicago-area teen Mohammed Hamza Khan and his 15-year-old brother and 17-year-old sister – who were stopped by Federal Agents before boarding a plane headed for Turkey.